by Lia Davis
“Done.” She leaned in and kissed his forehead.
As soon as she stepped away from him, she was gone, and the darkness faded into the soft glow of Khloe’s bathroom light spilling into the bedroom. The scents of chocolate and roses filled the room. His chest tightened, and tears filled his eyes.
Khloe’s soft snores were like music to his ears. He gathered her in his arms and held her close, not wanting to let her go. Ever.
Warmth enveloped her and soft lips pressed against her forehead. Khloe sighed and snuggled into Jagger more. She never wanted to wake from this dream.
“Welcome back to the living, brother.”
Lex’s voice made her open her eyes on a start. She lifted her head and met the most captivating chocolate-brown gaze. Jagger’s sensual lips lifted in a smile, and she peppered him with kisses. Tears spilled over her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. “I almost lost you.” Pulling back to give him a stern stare, she demanded, “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”
He chuckled. “I don’t plan on it.” Cupping her face, he drew her to him for a deep kiss.
Kalissa cleared her throat from the door. Khloe glanced back at her twin and smiled. She carried a tray of food and water.
“Lex verified that there was a piece of the Sinew lost and that it is possible it was broken off when the demons last had possession of it.” Kalissa sat the tray on the nightstand and moved to sit in the chair next to the window.
Jagger looked puzzled, so Khloe told him about the stone she’d seen in the lab, and what the demons had said about transferring power to it.
“I’ve had my suspicions. The Amiddians are much stronger than they should be. Whatever witch they have in their possession can’t possibly be able to transfer magic into it unless they are a god or goddess.” Jagger shook his head. “There’s no way. They’d need at least a couple of first-generation Divinities.”
First-generation? Khloe’s mind turned over all kinds of possibilities. “Mel? Are you or Noah first-generation?”
“I never gave it much thought. Noah has always kept up with that information.”
Zach cleared his throat. “Noah is.”
Khloe studied him. “Are you sure?”
Avoiding her gaze, he nodded. She had always suspected Zach hid secrets. In fact, she had observed several oddities about her best friend over the years. But it had only been recently that he’d acted a little more aggressive on their demon hunts. Not to mention that the level of power he carried had increased.
Her new leopard senses allowed her to pick up on emotions by scent, and her connection to Jagger allowed her to gauge others’ power levels better. She was ten times more powerful, both magically and physically. It was all a little frightening.
Lydia rocked her son and patted his back as she spoke. “We have to get the stone from them, whether it’s an active section of the Sinew or not. They can’t be allowed to test it or whatever they have planned for it.”
“Lydia is right,” Kalissa said.
Khloe nodded. “So we go get it.”
Everyone turned to her as if waiting for her to jump up and run out the door. Not happening. She didn’t need to. “I’m blaming the cat for the need to plan and stalk before attacking.” She smiled, and the cat purred in her head.
Kalissa laughed. “We have to record this. It’s a historic moment.”
“Ha, ha.” Khloe threw the spare pillow at her. Looking back at her mate, she confessed, “Kris has been working with me on controlling the shift and my new senses and strength. I still have a lot to learn, but the old jump-in-ask-questions-later Khloe is fading.” Plus, she had a godson to help protect, and a nephew on the way. It was time to take on responsibilities. “Plus, it’s much more effective to kick demon ass when you have the upper hand.”
Jagger tugged Khloe into his arms to capture her lips. She pressed into him, and a purr rumbled from her chest onto his. Chuckling, he broke the kiss and held her face in his hands. Her teal-colored eyes shone with a hint of tears, and his heart skipped a beat. Dread enveloped him. “What’s wrong?”
Kalissa made a soft noise. One-by-one, everyone said their goodnights and left the room. “Call when you two come up for air.” She walked to the door and turned back to them. “Welcome to the family, Jagger.”
The door closed with a soft click as he shifted his gaze back to Khloe, now smiling above him. “Is that what the watery eyes were for a few moments ago?”
Biting her bottom lip, she nodded and lowered her head to his. He rose up just enough to gently bite her chin. Her cry of shock made him chuckle. He rolled her to her back.
Her eyes held laughter and desire. “I love you, Jag.”
Rising up, he stared down at her. Love filled his heart and spread like a warm current in his veins. “I love you, too. And have since the first day I saw you.” Her bottom lip trembled, and he kissed it then slid his lips down her throat.
“Jagger?”
“Yes?”
“When were you going to tell me we’re half-mated?”
His body chilled. Shit. He’d forgotten about taking her blood. Meeting her gaze, relief that she wasn’t angry filled him, and he relaxed. No, she wasn’t mad, but she was annoyed. He had learned that it was better to have an annoyed Khloe than a pissed-off one. “I… All I thought about when I took your blood was that you would live. I wasn’t prepared to lose you.”
Her brows drew together. “And were you prepared to never mate another again?”
Blowing out a breath, he confessed, “There would never be anyone else for me as long as you live, with or without your blood inside me.”
She fell silent for several moments, and he feared what she would say. When her teal stare turned a darker green, and a smile lifted the corners of her lips, hope bloomed inside him. “You died. I felt you slip away.”
Closing his eyes briefly he drew her into a tight hug, kidding the top of her head. “I’m not immortal anymore. I had to give up my powers of Fate to return to you.”
“Your mother…?”
“Yes. She gifted me a life with you.”
Khloe lifted her head and frowned while crinkling her nose. “A gift with conditions. How thoughtful.”
Jagger framed her face in his hands. “I’ll take it any way I can get it.”
Khloe sighed. “I guess. Hey, what happens when we mate? I mean, is your lifespan shorter now?”
“I will take your lifespan.”
A wide smile formed on her lips and she crawled up to nip at his bottom lip. “In that case, what are we waiting for? Let’s complete the mating. I want to be yours for the rest of our existence.”
A growl of desire hung in the back of his throat. “And I want to be yours, as well.”
He’d raised his wrist to bite down when she stopped him. “What are you doing?”
“To complete the bond, you need to drink my blood.”
She smiled wide enough for him to see her small, sharp, leopard fangs. Damn, she was sexy as hell. He pressed his hard cock against her jeans. She groaned and removed her clothes by magic and sank her fangs into his neck.
An uncontrollable amount of desire flooded his senses. He entered her with a quick thrust and stilled. He didn’t want to come yet. It was hard not to with her warm, wet pussy clutching his dick and her fangs inside him. Her gentle pulls as she drank were more arousing than he’d ever dreamt.
She withdrew from him and licked the puncture marks. He shivered. “What?”
“Your tongue. It’s rough, like a cat’s.”
She laughed. “Apparently, that is the only thing that doesn’t shift back. Does it bother you?”
“No. It’s cute.” She started to push against him, but he thrust deeper inside her, making her gasp in pleasure. “It’s a part of who you are now. I love everything about you.”
He kissed her, not giving her time to respond. Slipping his tongue between her lips, he moved his cock in and out of her until they cried out in release.
Rolling to his back, he positioned Khloe to drape over his chest and rubbed her back in circular motions. “So, how soon are we going after the crystal the demons have?”
Shrugging, she wiggled into him a little more. A wicked gleam sparked in her teal gaze. “Oh, I don’t know. You did die. I think it would be wise for you to stay in bed for at least another week. Maybe a month.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Just how do you plan on keeping me here?”
She lifted her head and crawled up his body to straddle him. “I can think of a few ways.”
“What if I’m not the easiest patient?”
Leaning down, she nipped his lip. “I’ll be forced to tie you down.”
He wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck and drew her to him. “I love you.”
“Love you, too. Always.”
Epilogue
Samoan stormed into the lab with a target in sight. The witch sat in the love seat, reading, all comfortable as though she weren’t in a building full of demons. That pissed Samoan off, which was why the bitch did it.
And she couldn’t kill the Porter. Damn it.
“How did your visit with your son go?”
“Not long enough.” Her complaint was the same as always, void of emotion.
“You still haven’t given me any information. You’re lucky you got to see the brat in the first place.” The witch glared, and Samoan laughed. “Nothing is free, witch.”
“I told you, I don’t know anything.”
“I think you’re lying.”
“The Divinities have been busy with your stunt involving Khloe and the birth of Lydia’s son.”
Samoan froze. “Lydia’s son? Is he a Dark Divine?”
The female paled, giving Samoan the answer she wanted. Demetrius had said Lydia had been born of two first-generation Divinities and that the child’s father was a demon.
“That’s not what I said. You’re putting words in my mouth.”
“And you are a terrible liar.”
Samoan turned to leave, only to have the witch attack her. They hit the floor, and Samoan flipped her onto her back to hold the Divinity by her throat. “Any more of that and you will never see your son again.”
The sound of footsteps rang out as demons rushed into the room. Samoan pulled the witch to a stand by her hair and shoved her toward a demon. “Lock her up.”
When they left, Samoan pulled out her cell and punched in her father’s number. He answered on the second ring. “The child has arrived.”
The End
Continue The Divinities series with book 3, Dark Divine
Coming November 2016
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About the Author
In 2008, Lia Davis ventured into the world of writing and publishing and never looked back. She has published more than twenty books, including the bestselling A Tiger’s Claim, book one in her fan favorite Ashwood Falls series. Her novels feature compassionate yet strong alpha heroes who know how to please their women and her leading ladies are each strong in their own way. No matter what obstacle she throws at them, they come out better in the end.
While writing was initially a way escape from real world drama, Lia now makes her living creating worlds filled with magic, mystery, romance, and adventure so that others can leave real life behind for a few hours at a time.
Lia’s favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers, but it’s her home and she loves it!
Learn More About Lia
Website: http://www.authorliadavis.com/
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Other Books by Lia Davis
Paranormals
Ashwood Falls Series
Winter Eve
A Tiger’s Claim
A Mating Dance
Surrendering to the Alpha
A Rebel’s Heart
Divided Loyalties
Touch of Desire
A Leopard’s Path
Jaguar’s Judgment
Birchwood Pack
An Alpha’s Fate
Bears of Blackrock
Bear Essentials
Bear Magick
A Beary Sweet Holiday
Sons of War Series
War’s Passion
Ashes of War
Artemis’s Hunt
Chaotic War
Sons of War Box Set: Volume One
Shifting Magick Trilogy
Moon Curse
Moon Kissed
Moon Mated
Shifting Magick Trilogy box set
The Divinities
Forgotten Visions
Death’s Storm
Blood and Stone (Vampire Lords)
It’s A Vampire Christmas
Contemporaries
Pleasures of the Heart Series
Business Pleasures
Single Titles
His Guarded Heart